


Tomatoes and Lemons

by seasonofthegeek



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Riches to Rags, Snippets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-10-23 18:31:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10724838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seasonofthegeek/pseuds/seasonofthegeek
Summary: When Chloe realizes she doesn't have any money to her name, she relies on an old classmate to take care of all the dirty details like eating and having a roof over one's head. Nathaniel isn't exactly pleased to be her pick.





	Tomatoes and Lemons

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LuckOfADraw (Mirime)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirime/gifts).



“You’re a terrible cook,” Nathaniel laughed, grabbing the pot of boiling water from the stove eye before it bubbled over. A burnt odor lingered in the air of his small apartment.

“It’s not my fault,” Chloe whined. “I’ve never had to do it before.”

“Boiling water is, like, step one in cooking.”

“I’m sorry that I was so rich I never had to bother with any of this,” Chloe sniffed, turning her head. She still couldn’t believe her father had been found guilty of embezzlement and fraud. The whole thing was so embarrassing, not to mention devastating to her lifestyle.

“Well, you aren’t rich anymore so you may want to start taking notes.”

“Rude.”

“You asked for my help, remember?” Nathaniel couldn’t stop the grin from appearing. “If I recall, your exact words were, ‘Please save me from this wretched excuse of sustenance. Who could possibly live off this drivel?’.”

“That’s because you took me to McDonald’s!”

“You said you only had twenty euros to your name and I’m literally a starving artist. There weren’t a lot of options.”

“And how much did all this cost?” Chloe gestured to the spaghetti ingredients.

“I don’t know, ten euros maybe? And we should be able to get a couple of meals out of it.”

“But that’s so cheap!”

“I know,” Nathaniel laughed.

“We should eat spaghetti every meal. I’ll be rich again in no time.”

“Do you have a job yet?”

Chloe huffed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

__________________________

 

“Well, I’ll go to bed so you can get some sleep,” Chloe said, standing up and stretching.

“What do you mean?”

“Since you’re sleeping on the couch,” Chloe gestured back at the shabby couch Nathaniel currently inhabited. “I’ll go sleep in your bed.”

“What makes you think you get to sleep in my bed?”

“I’m your guest,” she huffed.

Nathaniel stood and brushed past her. “Uninvited guest.”

“You invited me over, you…you…you tomato head!” Chloe sputtered.

“Yeah, for dinner,” Nathaniel shot back. “I didn’t know you were moving in, lemon face.”

“Well, fine, I have plenty of places to go.” Chloe went to the door and gathered up her suitcase and her bag.

Nathaniel sighed. “You can stay here if you really need to.”

“I don’t want your pity, Kurtzberg.”

“Chloe, put your bags down. We can just share the bed.”

____________________________

 

Chloe padded over to the little corner Nathaniel had carved out as a painting space. He hunched over his canvas, face so close it was a wonder he didn’t get paint on his nose.

“What are you working on?”

“I had someone commission a painting of Ladybug and Chat Noir but…I don’t know. Something’s just not clicking.” Nathaniel dropped his brush into the water cup.

“Well, for one thing, Ladybug is way hotter than that,” Chloe pointed out. 

“Thank you. That’s very helpful,” Nathaniel deadpanned.

______________________________

 

Nathaniel opened his apartment door and found a labyrinth of boxes and furniture in the place his kitchen and living room used to be. “Chloe?”

“Coming!” she yelled from somewhere near the bedroom. After a few moments, Chloe appeared in a long yellow evening gown with a thick string of pearls around her neck.

“So…I’m going to need an explanation.”

Chloe beamed at him. “The lawyer called and said I could finally go back to the hotel and get my stuff! Isn’t this great?!”

“How did you even get it all up here?”

“Oh, I paid some guys that were hanging out on the stoop. There are so many degenerates in this neighborhood.”

Nathaniel perked up. “So you got your money back?”

“Nah, I paid them with a pair of high heels that cost more than this place’s rent for an entire year. Apparently there isn’t any money to be had,” she sighed.

“Bummer.”

“Yeah, but I’ve decided I’ll sell some of this stuff off and then I should be able to get out of your hair.”

“Oh…right. Good.” Nathaniel slid past her and got lost in the maze of boxes.

_______________________

 

“If you try to feed me another spaghetti noodle, no one will ever find your body, Kurtzberg.”

Nathaniel put the dry pasta back on the shelf. “Well, you lasted longer than I thought you would.”

“Being poor sucks,” Chloe complained. 

“At least we’re in it together,” Nathaniel replied dryly, picking up a bag of rice.

“That’s true. I don’t know what I would do without you honestly.” Chloe moved ahead of the shopping cart to scope out the cookie section, completely missing the pink hue Nathaniel’s cheeks took on.

_______________________

 

“Is that me?” Chloe asked softly.

Nathaniel jumped a little, rattling his tray of paints. He turned around on his stool slowly. “I thought you were asleep.”

“I was but then I woke up and you were gone.” Chloe walked closer, peering at the canvas. “You’re painting me.”

“I couldn’t sleep,” Nathaniel mumbled.

“Is this really what I look like to you?”

Nathaniel’s face flushed. “It’s not finished. It never looks good in the middle—“

“I think it’s beautiful.”

“You do?”

Chloe nodded. “Do you really think I’m this pretty?” She gestured to her likeness on the canvas.

“You know you are,” he said softly. “You’re…you’re prettier than this. I only have so much talent.” He laughed a little self-deprecatingly.

“You should come back to bed. Try to get some sleep.”

______________________

 

“So, uh, here’s what I probably owe you for rent and food and just putting up with me.” Chloe handed a thick envelope to Nathaniel. “Turns out a lot of my stuff was worth way more than I would have ever believed.”

“Oh, thanks, I guess.” Nathaniel held the envelope awkwardly.

“I’m going to look at apartments today so you should be free of me hopefully by the end of the week.”

Nathaniel nodded, trying to ignore the hollow feeling in his chest.

_______________________

 

“I would like to make a toast,” Chloe announced, holding her glass high, “to bastard fathers who leave their children with no money, no home, and no prospects.”

“And to the children of those fathers who kick ass anyway,” Nathaniel added with a smile. 

“Cheers.” They clinked their glasses together and grinned.

“I think I found a nice place today. It’s not too far from here actually,” Chloe said, setting down her glass. “The landlady said I could move in on Saturday if I pay first and last month’s rent tomorrow.”

“Oh…that’s great, Chloe.” Nathaniel pushed his mashed potatoes around with his fork.

“Seriously?!”

Nathaniel looked up. “What?”

“Would you just ask me to stay already? I’ve practically been your girlfriend for months at this point. We may as well make it official,” Chloe huffed.

“G-girlfriend?!” Nathaniel sputtered.

“Yes, and without any of the perks, I might add.”

“You actually want to stay…here…with me?” Nathaniel’s cheeks reddened.

“What can I say, tomato head? I’ve grown rather fond of you.” Chloe stood up and moved over to settle herself in Nathaniel’s lap. “So what do you think, want to be my sexy, artsy, hipster boyfriend?”

“I think I’d like that very, very much,” Nathaniel replied, finally pressing his lips to hers.

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my other ML dribbles and artwork on my tumblr: seasonofthegeek


End file.
